“New Dish”
On a certain day, amidst a peaceful and relaxed life after the culmination of the war with the Second Kingdom, I was having breakfast at the mansion when I sensed an unfamiliar taste in the meal served.
“It’s different from usual.”
“Do you think so? It seems normal to me.”
As I murmured, Sobas, who was having the meal with me, replied. Others were eating without any issue, but my palate, saturated with the culinary culture of my past life, detected an incongruity with this meal.
For the time being, I finished the meal and headed to the kitchen. Upon entering, I found Ruzzo, the cook, busy preparing lunch.
“Ruzzo, can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Y-Yes… wh-what, is it?”
“You don’t seem to be feeling well, are you?”
Ruzzo, who was there, was clearly laboring with sweat on his forehead, panting. It was evident that he was weakened, and his poor condition was apparent at a glance.
For the time being, I used [Super Analysis], a bit extravagantly, to examine Ruzzo’s current state and confirm his condition.
【Name】: Ruzzo
【Age】: 38
【Gender】: Male
【Race】: Human
【Occupation】: Cook/Chef (Employed at the mansion of the adventurer Rolando)
HP: 500 (900)
MP: 100 (160)
Strength: E-
Endurance: F
Agility: F-
Dexterity: B-
Spirit: D-
Resistance: C-
Luck: F
【Skills】Cleaning Lv.2, Cooking Lv.6, Body Enhancement Lv.0, Concentration Lv.0, Water Magic Lv.0
【Conditions】Loyalty (High), Fatigue (High), Exhaustion (High), Illness (Poor health due to fatigue)
Regarding his stats, I’d leave them for now. Ruzzo’s condition seemed to be due to fatigue and wasn’t something life-threatening.
While I was relieved about that, the presence of “Loyalty” in his status indicated the obvious…
Well, regardless, as his employer, I believed in providing good employee benefits, so I couldn’t just leave his current condition unattended.
“It seems you just have a common cold due to fatigue. You’re done for today, so rest in your room.”
“N-No. I can’t just do that.”
“Listen, I don’t intend to blame you for falling ill, nor will I hold it against you if you can’t work due to that. In fact, I’m the one at fault for allowing you to work in such poor conditions.”
“…”
Ruzzo didn’t offer any retort to my words and simply hung his head. For now, I decided to treat his illness to improve his condition.
“[Cure Medicine]”
“This, this is…”
Almost immediately, Ruzzo’s complexion improved, and upon checking him again with Super Analysis, his previously poor conditions like fatigue and exhaustion had been alleviated.
However, I didn’t intend to just heal his sickness and then say, “You’re cured, get back to work.” Instead, I felt that since his current state was due to inadequate rest, I would let him rest properly today.
“I’ve used magic to cure your illness. But remember, you’re still in recovery, so rest in your room today.”
“Rolando-sama, thank you very much. I’m already feeling better, so could I please continue working?”
Given that I was quite the workaholic in my previous life, sometimes working even made me feel better when I wasn’t feeling well. It seemed Ruzzo was of a similar type, a workaholic, and he probably wouldn’t feel comfortable unless he was doing something.
“No, it’s not happening. Rest quietly in your room today.”
“But who will prepare today’s meal then?”
“It can’t be helped. I’ll prepare today’s meal myself. It’s perfect timing since there’s a new dish I want to try making.”
“Rolando-sama’s new dish! Please, let me assist you. Please, I insist!”
“No, it’s not happening. Rest in your room today.”
“That’s… not fair…”
I had taught Ruzzo a variety of recipes from my previous life to some extent, effectively making him like my apprentice. However, he had been showing an excessive interest in my cooking endeavors lately.
While it was understandable for a cook to be intrigued by dishes they hadn’t seen or heard of before, I also wanted him to take care of his own health a little more.
“I’ll write down the recipe for you later, so rest for today. Understand?”
“Yes…”
Although he reluctantly agreed, knowing he would receive the recipe, he still didn’t leave the kitchen as I was preparing for lunch.
I reluctantly called Sobas to explain the situation and forcibly escorted Ruzzo out of the kitchen. He resisted until the end when leaving the kitchen, but Sobas promptly guided him to his room based on my instructions.
While explaining to Sobas, he hesitated at the idea of me, his employer, making the servants’ food, saying, “It’s not suitable for Rolando-sama to make our food,” but once I mentioned it was also a tasting for the new dish, he begrudgingly consented to me cooking.
“Now that the intruder is gone, it’s time for Rolando’s exciting cooking session.”
Alone once again, I declared this in the kitchen, where nobody was present. This time, I intended to make something mundane and commonly eaten at home from my previous life.
First, I peeled the potatoes and prepared the sprouts. In a heated frying pan, I sautéed the minced meat from the Big Horn Buffalo I obtained in Orargrand’s dungeon, altering it into ground meat.
When the color of the meat changed, I added finely chopped onions and sautéed them until they softened. After cooking the meat through, I took the pan off the heat to let it cool.
At the same time, I boiled the potatoes in a pot. Once boiled, I transferred them to a bowl and mashed them with a wooden spatula.
I combined the cooled meat with the mashed potatoes, shaping them into ovals. I coated them with breadcrumbs made from bread and fried them in oil extracted from Yellow Plants until they turned a deep golden color.
“So, that’s the completion of croquettes.”
You probably already guessed, but what I was making was croquettes. Until recently, I hadn’t had access to vegetable oil, so I couldn’t prepare fried foods. However, with the Yellow Plants I had started cultivating in the orphanage and on the estate, I had managed to secure a decent amount.
And so, with that in mind, at this moment, croquettes, a common and familiar dish from my previous life, were born into this world.
“Let’s have a taste right away. …Bon appétit. Nom“
I took a bite of the croquette that had just been made. The croquette had achieved the ideal balance of a crispy outer layer and a fluffy inside. It was a flawless result.
“Mmm, delicious!”
Uttering involuntarily, I immediately finished one croquette, barely restraining myself from reaching for a second.
While it was already plenty delicious as it was, I decided to go the extra mile and make tartar sauce using mayonnaise, eggs, and onions that I had on hand.
Though most people would likely eat croquettes with a sauce, I personally believed that tartar sauce was the most delicious accompaniment.
Tastes vary widely from person to person, and there was no absolute right answer. If one tried to determine a single answer, it could lead to outright conflict, even war. One such famous debate was the Mushroom vs. Bamboo Shoot confection, a contentious topic in the culinary world. (+)TLN: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8D%E3%81%AE%E3%81%93%E3%81%9F%E3%81%91%E3%81%AE%E3%81%93%E6%88%A6%E4%BA%89
That’s why I felt that even an unconventional pairing like tartar sauce with croquettes could be considered a valid answer in the realm of food.
In addition to croquettes, I decided to serve a vegetable salad, soft homemade bread, and fruit jelly for dessert. While regular cooks would need to prepare lunch just before serving, thanks to my time-freezing storage, I didn’t have such concerns.
After finishing lunch preparations for all the servants, I contemplated various ideas for production matters. When lunchtime arrived, I headed to the dining hall.
The dining hall was filled with servants, and Ruzzo was also there, resting quietly. Whether through Sobas’ communication or some other means, it seemed everyone knew about my cooking and was eagerly anticipating it.
Distributing the stored dishes to the servants, I declared, “Well then, let’s eat!” The lunch began with my words. The servants’ reactions were mostly positive. I had prepared two croquettes per person, but since some wanted more, I happily provided additional servings.
Once the dishes were polished off, I served the fruit jelly for dessert. The servants eagerly started eating. The female staff, in particular, were quite pleased, with some even muttering about how happy they were to work here.
After lunch, Ruzzo inquired about the croquette recipe, and I promised to discuss it with him after dinner.
After that, I decided to try making rice dishes flavored with miso, soy sauce, and vinegar, and once that went well, I served an improved simmered dish. It had been a while since I indulged in Japanese cuisine.
Dinner was also a great success. Ruzzo was delighted with the unfamiliar dishes, and the other servants silently savored the meal.
“Sometimes, things like this aren’t bad.”
Hearing those words, the assembled servants keenly requested that I cook again when I felt like it. I decided to grant their wishes, particularly if it came along with the development of new dishes, as it did this time.
“New Dish”
On a certain day, amidst a peaceful and relaxed life after the culmination of the war with the Second Kingdom, I was having breakfast at the mansion when I sensed an unfamiliar taste in the meal served.
“It’s different from usual.”
“Do you think so? It seems normal to me.”
As I murmured, Sobas, who was having the meal with me, replied. Others were eating without any issue, but my palate, saturated with the culinary culture of my past life, detected an incongruity with this meal.
For the time being, I finished the meal and headed to the kitchen. Upon entering, I found Ruzzo, the cook, busy preparing lunch.
“Ruzzo, can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Y-Yes… wh-what, is it?”
“You don’t seem to be feeling well, are you?”
Ruzzo, who was there, was clearly laboring with sweat on his forehead, panting. It was evident that he was weakened, and his poor condition was apparent at a glance.
For the time being, I used [Super Analysis], a bit extravagantly, to examine Ruzzo’s current state and confirm his condition.
【Name】: Ruzzo
【Age】: 38
【Gender】: Male
【Race】: Human
【Occupation】: Cook/Chef (Employed at the mansion of the adventurer Rolando)
HP: 500 (900)
MP: 100 (160)
Strength: E-
Endurance: F
Agility: F-
Dexterity: B-
Spirit: D-
Resistance: C-
Luck: F
【Skills】Cleaning Lv.2, Cooking Lv.6, Body Enhancement Lv.0, Concentration Lv.0, Water Magic Lv.0
【Conditions】Loyalty (High), Fatigue (High), Exhaustion (High), Illness (Poor health due to fatigue)
Regarding his stats, I’d leave them for now. Ruzzo’s condition seemed to be due to fatigue and wasn’t something life-threatening.
While I was relieved about that, the presence of “Loyalty” in his status indicated the obvious…
Well, regardless, as his employer, I believed in providing good employee benefits, so I couldn’t just leave his current condition unattended.
“It seems you just have a common cold due to fatigue. You’re done for today, so rest in your room.”
“N-No. I can’t just do that.”
“Listen, I don’t intend to blame you for falling ill, nor will I hold it against you if you can’t work due to that. In fact, I’m the one at fault for allowing you to work in such poor conditions.”
“…”
Ruzzo didn’t offer any retort to my words and simply hung his head. For now, I decided to treat his illness to improve his condition.
“[Cure Medicine]”
“This, this is…”
Almost immediately, Ruzzo’s complexion improved, and upon checking him again with Super Analysis, his previously poor conditions like fatigue and exhaustion had been alleviated.
However, I didn’t intend to just heal his sickness and then say, “You’re cured, get back to work.” Instead, I felt that since his current state was due to inadequate rest, I would let him rest properly today.
“I’ve used magic to cure your illness. But remember, you’re still in recovery, so rest in your room today.”
“Rolando-sama, thank you very much. I’m already feeling better, so could I please continue working?”
Given that I was quite the workaholic in my previous life, sometimes working even made me feel better when I wasn’t feeling well. It seemed Ruzzo was of a similar type, a workaholic, and he probably wouldn’t feel comfortable unless he was doing something.
“No, it’s not happening. Rest quietly in your room today.”
“But who will prepare today’s meal then?”
“It can’t be helped. I’ll prepare today’s meal myself. It’s perfect timing since there’s a new dish I want to try making.”
“Rolando-sama’s new dish! Please, let me assist you. Please, I insist!”
“No, it’s not happening. Rest in your room today.”
“That’s… not fair…”
I had taught Ruzzo a variety of recipes from my previous life to some extent, effectively making him like my apprentice. However, he had been showing an excessive interest in my cooking endeavors lately.
While it was understandable for a cook to be intrigued by dishes they hadn’t seen or heard of before, I also wanted him to take care of his own health a little more.
“I’ll write down the recipe for you later, so rest for today. Understand?”
“Yes…”
Although he reluctantly agreed, knowing he would receive the recipe, he still didn’t leave the kitchen as I was preparing for lunch.
I reluctantly called Sobas to explain the situation and forcibly escorted Ruzzo out of the kitchen. He resisted until the end when leaving the kitchen, but Sobas promptly guided him to his room based on my instructions.
While explaining to Sobas, he hesitated at the idea of me, his employer, making the servants’ food, saying, “It’s not suitable for Rolando-sama to make our food,” but once I mentioned it was also a tasting for the new dish, he begrudgingly consented to me cooking.
“Now that the intruder is gone, it’s time for Rolando’s exciting cooking session.”
Alone once again, I declared this in the kitchen, where nobody was present. This time, I intended to make something mundane and commonly eaten at home from my previous life.
First, I peeled the potatoes and prepared the sprouts. In a heated frying pan, I sautéed the minced meat from the Big Horn Buffalo I obtained in Orargrand’s dungeon, altering it into ground meat.
When the color of the meat changed, I added finely chopped onions and sautéed them until they softened. After cooking the meat through, I took the pan off the heat to let it cool.
At the same time, I boiled the potatoes in a pot. Once boiled, I transferred them to a bowl and mashed them with a wooden spatula.
I combined the cooled meat with the mashed potatoes, shaping them into ovals. I coated them with breadcrumbs made from bread and fried them in oil extracted from Yellow Plants until they turned a deep golden color.
“So, that’s the completion of croquettes.”
You probably already guessed, but what I was making was croquettes. Until recently, I hadn’t had access to vegetable oil, so I couldn’t prepare fried foods. However, with the Yellow Plants I had started cultivating in the orphanage and on the estate, I had managed to secure a decent amount.
And so, with that in mind, at this moment, croquettes, a common and familiar dish from my previous life, were born into this world.
“Let’s have a taste right away. …Bon appétit. Nom“
I took a bite of the croquette that had just been made. The croquette had achieved the ideal balance of a crispy outer layer and a fluffy inside. It was a flawless result.
“Mmm, delicious!”
Uttering involuntarily, I immediately finished one croquette, barely restraining myself from reaching for a second.
While it was already plenty delicious as it was, I decided to go the extra mile and make tartar sauce using mayonnaise, eggs, and onions that I had on hand.
Though most people would likely eat croquettes with a sauce, I personally believed that tartar sauce was the most delicious accompaniment.
Tastes vary widely from person to person, and there was no absolute right answer. If one tried to determine a single answer, it could lead to outright conflict, even war. One such famous debate was the Mushroom vs. Bamboo Shoot confection, a contentious topic in the culinary world. (+)TLN: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8D%E3%81%AE%E3%81%93%E3%81%9F%E3%81%91%E3%81%AE%E3%81%93%E6%88%A6%E4%BA%89
That’s why I felt that even an unconventional pairing like tartar sauce with croquettes could be considered a valid answer in the realm of food.
In addition to croquettes, I decided to serve a vegetable salad, soft homemade bread, and fruit jelly for dessert. While regular cooks would need to prepare lunch just before serving, thanks to my time-freezing storage, I didn’t have such concerns.
After finishing lunch preparations for all the servants, I contemplated various ideas for production matters. When lunchtime arrived, I headed to the dining hall.
The dining hall was filled with servants, and Ruzzo was also there, resting quietly. Whether through Sobas’ communication or some other means, it seemed everyone knew about my cooking and was eagerly anticipating it.
Distributing the stored dishes to the servants, I declared, “Well then, let’s eat!” The lunch began with my words. The servants’ reactions were mostly positive. I had prepared two croquettes per person, but since some wanted more, I happily provided additional servings.
Once the dishes were polished off, I served the fruit jelly for dessert. The servants eagerly started eating. The female staff, in particular, were quite pleased, with some even muttering about how happy they were to work here.
After lunch, Ruzzo inquired about the croquette recipe, and I promised to discuss it with him after dinner.
After that, I decided to try making rice dishes flavored with miso, soy sauce, and vinegar, and once that went well, I served an improved simmered dish. It had been a while since I indulged in Japanese cuisine.
Dinner was also a great success. Ruzzo was delighted with the unfamiliar dishes, and the other servants silently savored the meal.
“Sometimes, things like this aren’t bad.”
Hearing those words, the assembled servants keenly requested that I cook again when I felt like it. I decided to grant their wishes, particularly if it came along with the development of new dishes, as it did this time.
